Shine Bright, My Red Rose
by Daughter of Melinoe
Summary: Reader X OC Layla is a new Exorcist at the Black Order, and she's excited to meet new people! As long as they don't have red-hair and a seemingly care-free personality... (Previously a Lavi X Reader)
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Finally decided to get started on some new projects and I had to right a fanfic involving the reader. So; here is Lavi X Tsundere OC! I tried writing OC X Kanda, but I can only ship Kanda with myself, so it wasn't working out so well. Just a reminder, I do not own D. Gray-Man characters, but I do happen to own the plot. I sort of used the Black Rock Shooter OVA OST, One Day, as inspiration. The "red rose" being Lavi, I guess… it will come in later on in the story. Info on the character:

Name: Layla

Last Name: Unknown

Age: 17

Hair Colour/ Eye Colour: Dark Brown, Honey Brown

The rest, such as her personality and weapon, will come up in the story. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: No reason

Walking around the busy streets of London, I was humming an old lullaby, one that I had known since I was a baby. In one hand, I was twirling the green stem of a daisy, while the other was swaying to the melody. I was wearing a crisp, brand new black coat that I had gotten from the Black Order, for I was their newest edition; Layla [Last Name]. The anti-Akuma weapon was a leather whip, which grows longer and stronger upon being activate. The whip was nothing special; it used to be a leather jacket that I've had since I was a kid, and unknowingly was hiding Innocence. After that, Chief Komui Lee turned it into a weapon to fight. I didn't really know how to use a whip, but this mission should help I get the hand of it.

All of a sudden, I stopped right in I r tracks, right in the middle of the crowded path, went quiet and dropped the flower. The Finder that had come with I, Toma, frowned at I from behind. He was a man with lots of experience, which is why Komui asked him to come with me. I refused the help of anyone else, wanting to try things on I r own. It was just the way I was: Stubborn, and strong-willed. "Where's the police station around here?" I asked him, and he replied with a gesture to I r left, "Around there, but [Last Name]-dono." He didn't question I, but I could tell that he was wondering why I was looking for the police. "I don't want to start this mission without any information. If they are that many Akuma in this city, there must be a lot of murders happening as well. And inspecting murders is the duties of a police officer." I walked towards the station with long strides, trying not to run there. Even if I was young, I did not want to be treated like a little girl, which happened quite often.

Toma followed me, and I impatiently stood at the door. Just then, a woman who was passing my by earlier, transformed into a hideous creature: a level-1 Akuma! I pulled out I mu whip, this would be the first time using it on an Akuma, and struck. It immediately died, leaving nothing but a pile of ashes. Before I knew it, nearly half the citizens around me became those life-stealing monsters. Those who didn't began screaming and ran as fast as they could, away from them. I gulped, not thinking I would have to deal with this many at once, but then I r gazed grew serious. "You chose to wrong girl to mess with." I raised an arm, which held the whip, moved like lighting, striking all Akuma within reach of my deadly weapon. They fired their shots, and I avoided them with incomparable grace.

The Akuma was numerous, but they were still only level-1. After having defeating the majority of them, I was still unsatisfied by the lack of effort it took me. I felt liked turning away, but I had a duty to fulfill and I really wanted to return to the order. I still had so many people to meet, since I've only met Komui, Toma and Lenalee when I arrived. Everyone else was out on a mission. As I raised me my whip for a final attack, I heard, "Big Hammer, Little Hammer, Grow, Grow, Grow!" a giant hammer wiped out the remaining Akuma and I starred in amazement. A handsome, red-head boy smiled at me, "Hello there, miss. Need a hand?"

He winked at I, and I looked at him and cleared I r throat, "Thank-I, but that was not needed." I turned around, hiding the lightest blush from I r cheeks. He was pretty darn good-looking! He scratched the back of his head, "You're welcome. I'm Lavi, by the way." I shook my head, hoping the blush would go away, turned to him, "Layla." He stuck out his hand and I shook it, keeping my brown gaze cold. His emerald green eyes checked I out, "You're new, right?" I gave a curt nod, and he smirked, "Nice to meet you, then. Hope to be working with me soon. If you'll excuse me, I have some work to be doing." He glanced over his shoulder, and mouthed, "Strike!" to no one in particular. I immediately began walking away, "I need to go back to the Order now. Perhaps I will see you later, Lavi." I turned around, not wanting to be near him.

~Time Skip, I am now at the order~

I stormed in through the main gate, and went to the cafeteria and ordered a chocolate cake. I loved chocolate, even though I was in a foul mood. I wasn't sure why, but I hated that Lavi. He just seemed so carefree and laid-back! Of course, I had pretty good reasons to hate guys like that. One being that I worked hard to get to me r goals, and those not just guys, but people like that, seem to do fine in life, without showing any effort! I ate I r high-calorie snack; my pissed off aura repelling everyone from approaching I. I grumbled; my plans for meeting new people were crushed. Suddenly, another exorcist approached me, his dark eyes glaring right at me. I had a feeling that he didn't come here to sit next to I, so I asked him, "Can I help you?" Everyone else in the room's eyes widened and whispered, staring at me. "You're new here, huh? Layla, I've heard of you, as for helping me… don't even think of it. That," He gestured to the chair I was sitting in, "Is my seat."  
I didn't know why, but I burst out laughing. "You sound like a child." And then I immediately regretted saying so. Sometimes, being honest wasn't the best idea. I spent the next quarter of an hour running from a really long haired boy with a scarily sharp blade. It only stopped when I bumped into Lenalee, who apologized for I , even though I had said sorry many times as I was running. I learned that his name was Yu Kanda and that he was always in a foul mood.

I already got a tour of the place, but I r bad sense of orientation got I confused while I was running from Mister Grumpy-Pants. Lenalee lead I to I r room, and I thanked her and invited her over to talk for a bit. I definitely wanted to be good friends with her; she seemed to be the only female around. She agreed to stay for a bit and I was overjoyed. I asked her to talk about the people from the Order, especially the exorcists. She nodded and said, "Let's see, so far, you met Kanda, and I… so there's still so many others to talk about. Like Allen, or Krory or Miss Miranda and Lavi!" I sighed, "I met Lavi while I was out earlier." Lenalee was pleased to hear about it, but I was definitely not pleased to talk about it. She began talking of the other exorcists and I listened intently.

After a nice hour of chatting away with Lenalee, Komui came in to check on his sister. He smiled, and I was relieved. Even though it has only been a few days since I've been here, I've heard rumors of what Komui does to any male who gets too friendly with Lenalee. Even if I wasn't a male, I was still afraid of him, from the stories I've heard. Lenalee then left and I realized it was past seven o'clock, a time which I would usually be taking a bath. I decided to just sleep, and I would take a bath early tomorrow. At least, I tried just to sleep, but I was unable to sleep, I r thoughts filled with a certain carefree red-head man. "I won't make the same mistake twice." I whispered to myself reassuringly, before falling into a nice slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: This chapter is focusing mainly on Layla's past! Please enjoy!

Chapter 2: Blue sky stained red

The next morning I woke up before dawn, and stripped off my clothes, wrapping myself into a towel before walking towards the baths. I was still half asleep, but there was no way I could sleep feeling so uncomfortably dirty. When I reached the pools of warm water, I dropped my towel and entered into the clean water. I sat down, and allowed my thoughts to stray into the back of my mind, it all started, thirteen years ago.

"Mama, Papa!" My four-year old self shouted, "Look at this!" I showed them a silly, little drawing of a rose. My mother smiled, "How pretty." My father nodded in agreement. My family lived in a village, around the outskirts of London. I didn't go to school, but I was very bright. It was the afternoon of another sunny spring day, and the sky couldn't be bluer. I skipped around the fields barefoot, my feet tickled by the scrub grass. "Layla, let's go inside now!" My mother called from the doorway, her hair buffeted by a fresh breeze.

I went in immediately. I never, _ever_, disobeyed your parents. I closed the door behind me, and went inside. My parents were talking together in the kitchen, so I decided to leave them alone and talk to my big sister. She was just like me, but older and paler. Since the day she was born, she was very weak and ill, so I often stood by her. I gave her vivid descriptions of the outdoors, and about what I did outside. Almost everything in my family was perfect.

Not even three days later, my father had disappeared. He went out at night one day, to his dear friend's house that had lost a close family member, and never came back. My family and I were worried sick, for the friend had said that father had returned home. My family mourned for days, and I inherited his leather jacket, that smelled just like him and made me feel safe. Your mother, unable to earn enough money for me and my sister by herself, remarried to a man with red hair and a very carefree personality. I never could remember his name, but because of him, the peaceful life I once lead was over.

At first, he was a nice guy, never getting angry at anyone, but from the way he looked at my sister, I knew that he wasn't all good. He often encouraged me to go out while my mother was working, so he could be alone with her. It wasn't long before I discovered that he had been hurting my sister. However, whenever I tried bringing it up, he would just grin and say, "Well, you don't want your mother getting hurt either, hm?" After two years of this abuse, I found out that my sister was pregnant with his child. I was only six, but I hated him even more. I once yelled at him and even hit his face, and for revenge, he killed my sister, all while his lips formed into his usual smirk. "Now, now, play nice." He did the same to my mother, as if it was no big deal. Blood splattered the floor, making it match his hair. Before killing me, he transformed into a beast, a terrifying monster, known as a Level 4 Akuma.

I braced myself for the hit, but an Exorcist came first. I admired the power that person wielded as she fought the Akuma easily. I later learned that this woman was a general named Klaude Nine, whose monkey fought for her, although she gave commands with a whip, just like the one I have now. Before she could talk to me, though, I had run away in terror. For the next eleven years, I have been nothing but lonely, afraid, poor and weak. But then, you met Komui Lee when he was out, and he talked about Exorcist, and from that day forth, I fought Akuma.

I let out a sigh, and looked at my reflection. I had grown from then, I was really a woman. I smiled and got out of the bath and wrapped myself into my fluffy, white towel, when I heard footsteps as Lavi walked in. Thank god, we both had our towels on. I was blushing madly as I bolted away. Lavi watched me go, "So close… if only I had come earlier…" He chuckled to himself as he slid into the bath.

Author's note: Well, sorry for the shortness… but hopefully you enjoyed it!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: What did I do wrong?

I didn't feel like getting dressed just yet, so I got into my room and sat down on my bed. I slowly lied down on my back, my towel still wrapped around me. I began to close my eyes to catch a few more hours of sleep, when I hear a hesitant knock on the door. "Come in…" I say sleepily. A cute, silver haired boy walks in with a gold golem by his shoulder. "Hello, I'm Allen Walker, nice to meet you! You're Layla right?" I nodded, suddenly wide awake and I looked up at Allen's blushing face. Darn it! I had forgotten that I was naked, with only a towel. I politely asked him to leave the room for a moment and got changed.

Once you were done, I opened the door and smiled at him. Allen came back in, apologizing for entering. "No need to be sorry… it's my fault for forgetting to put on some clothes…" I laughed nervously. Both Allen and I sat on your bed. "It's nice to meet you, Allen. Lenalee has told me a lot about you!" Allen smiled, "And I've heard from Lavi and Kanda about you, Layla, although, Kanda didn't seem to like you very much…" I grinned, "I doubt he likes anyone, really…" Allen nodded, "I very much agree." I was happy. My first guy friend! I had a feeling you would get along very well with him. He didn't remind me of my terribly past, like Lavi, nor was he in a constant foul mood like Kanda. Allen seemed to like me to, so we decided to both get some lunch together.

As both Allen and I walked towards the cafeteria, we exchanged stories of our past and our missions. I've only been on one so far, but Allen was listening. I was glad to have an experienced Exorcist like him to lend his ear on my achievements. The shy boy had many things to talk about, and I was very keen on listening to them. He was right in the middle of talking about a mission where he and Kanda were looking for Innocence in a rewinding town, which happened to be a town that would repeat the same day, over, and over, and over again! He was explaining how it was actually a clock that had Innocence, when we reached the cafeteria.

I introduced myself to all the people that were there, and met to more Exorcists. One was Arystar Krory III, who was a naïve man in his late twenties. The other was named Miranda; she was a clumsy, somewhat social awkward but yet kind and friendly woman in her mid-twenties. I felt a little young, as I was only seventeen. Allen and Lenalee were the only ones I've met who were younger. I was pretty sure Lavi and Kanda were a little older, but I wasn't certain.

Just outside, Allen was speaking with Lavi. "Yo Allen; How's it going?" Allen smiled, "Long time no see, Lavi! I'm doing great. Just met the new girl, Layla, she's really nice! Although, she seems to hate you for some reason, since she always stiffens and looks like she's going to kill someone whenever you're mentioned. What did you _do _to her?" Lavi tilted his head, confused, "Nothing that I can remember. When we met she was all right… stiff but all right…" The red head wondered what he could've done to make me so angry.

Author's note: Once again, sorry for a short chapter… I promise the next chapter will get the plot moving. I've got 6 more chapters planned out for this fanfic so far, hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: A long chapter! Finally, this chapter makes the plot move a little. It's got a little Allen X Layla, just like the last one did, but I guarantee there will Lavi X Layla in there to! Enjoy! :D

Chapter 4: The Reason Why I Smile

It's been a couple of days, and I was more than glad to call the Order home. Everyone, minus Kanda, was kind to me and treated me like family. I barely conversed with Lavi, just bidding him good morning and good evening when I passed him in the hallways. I was hoping that it would continue like this, but Komui just had to call you to his office that one day.

"Layla, I see you're getting used to things around here. I've decided to assign you another mission. I'm sure someone here must've told you about the Noah Family and their recent activity. I want you to go investigate a small town in Germany. We've sent some Finders… and haven't heard of them. It's been weeks since they've left…" I stared in horror, not wanting to imagine what could be there. "Bookman wishes to accompany you, with Lavi, of course."

I held back a groan when I realized I had to go with Lavi, and then I frowned, "Bookman?" Komui looked at you, "You don't know? The Bookman Clan is an organization dedicated to recording history. Lavi is a training to be the next Bookman." I nodded, understanding. "When do I leave?" Komui looked at me, "There's a boat leaving from England to the Netherlands in a week. From there, you will reach Germany by train." He handed me an envelope containing all the tickets required, as well as to the names of the stops. "I suggest you go down to Norfolk today or tomorrow. Stay safe." I nodded and left the office, my body quivering in fear.

I went into my room to pack. I decided to leave tomorrow, so I took a bath and went to sleep early in the evening. I had a weird dream… Around me was a clearing in a pine forest, the grass wet from morning dew, and the sun was rising in the East, marking the outline of the trees. I was surrounded by countless Akuma, and I saw a dark, yet strangely familiar, silhouette in the middle, giving the Akuma an order to kill me. I could not find my whip, and I was afraid it was lost somewhere on the damp forest floor. I was screaming at the top of my lungs, as the Akuma aimed their weapons and shot to my wide, honey brown eyes…

"Layla!" someone was shaking me, "Layla!" My eyes flew open. "It's…" I saw bright green eyes stare right into mine and my cheeks became the same colour as his hair and swatted them away, "Go away! Pervert! Don't come into a girl's room while she is still sleeping!" Lavi smirked, "You were screaming so loud, I thought a pervert _had _made his way into your room. Don't worry though; I'm here to save you, miss." He winked and I shoved him off of your bed and checked the time, and sighed in relief, "Thank god. I have time to eat before I go." Lavi stared at you from the floor, and I glared at him, "Get out of my room and let me get changed." Lavi chuckled softly, got up, and left, closing the door behind him.

"How dare he… enter my room like that… so what if I was screaming…?" I muttered to myself as I buttoned up my jacket. I checked the tall, yet thin mirror I had and smiled, "Not bad, if I do say so myself." I skipped out of your room, my bag on my back as I hummed my favorite lullaby while walking towards the cafeteria.

"Layla, I hear you're going now. Good luck!" Lenalee said, her cute smile illuminating her face. I nodded to her, "Thanks! I will need it…" I kept your smile on your face, but my head was drowning in fear. This would be your second mission, and probably my most dangerous one. I was pretty sure most people knew about it, for even Kanda gave me a nod in respect as I passed by his table to order my breakfast.

Allen came by later, and sat next to me. I had trouble eating my crepes, and he could tell something was off. "You're going out today, right? What a coincidence; so am I! We think we've spotted some Innocence; I'm going with Lenalee to inspect it further." He looked at me, I was listening, but I was focused on my own mission. I was taking deep breaths, frowning at my plate. Allen put a hand on my shoulder, "Don't worry about anything. Lavi is with you, and he's really strong. And you're strong too." When he saw no change in my behavior, he decided to try something else, "Hey, Layla, can you promise me something?" I looked to him, "What is it, Allen?" Allen smiled, "When you get back, let's exchange stories again and sit together, okay? We'll ask Lenalee to talk with us too." He gave me a pat on the shoulder and I hugged him tightly.

He was a little shocked by my sudden gesture, but I was so scared, I didn't care, "I-I don't know if I can p-promise you t-that… but… I-I s-swear to do m-my best t-to c-come back and t-talk!" I exclaimed, and everyone heard me. My teeth's chattering was the cause of your stuttering, I was shaking badly, but I didn't cry. I would never cry ever again. It was something I told myself years ago. I put a determined grin on my face and swallowed the rest of my food before standing, "I'm leaving now!" Everyone other than Kanda got up and wished me luck. As I passed by though, Kanda got up and stopped me, "If you come back, you should train with me some time." I nodded, my grin not leaving my face, "Definitely. I look forward to it." But he probably didn't trust me. After all, he did say '_if_'.

I was leaving the Order; Lavi followed me close behind, "Bookman is waiting in Norfolk already. He left late last night. If we leave now, we'll be there around nightfall, I would assume." I nodded, "I'm fine with that." I kept walking when I heard someone call my name and turned around. Komui was panting and he had a black golem in his hand, "For you. It'll be your partner from now on." I looked at the little golem and smiled. It flew by my shoulder. Komui looked at me, "Give it a name," I thought for a moment, "It needs an adorable name, so I shall call it Muffin." I looked at the golem, my eyes filled with affection for the cute little creature. Komui scratch his head but shrugged, "All right, it's your choice. Muffin, your duty from now own is to help Layla!" Muffin flapped its wings eagerly. I giggled, thinking of how having a golem made me feel like a real Exorcist.

Lavi's POV:

She giggled.

It was so unexpected to hear such a sound. It chimed through my ears, and made me want to laugh along with her. I looked at her face, the pure joy that showed, even when her knees were shaking so badly, I thought she might fall over any minute now. I looked at her new Golem, which was now named Muffin. It _was_ an adorable name. Maybe one day I'll use it as another alias. I laughed to myself, and then looked to her, expecting to see her question me about my laughter. Instead, she just talked to her golem. I shrugged; I guess a new golem is something she was looking forward to.

After what seemed like a decade, but was probably only half an hour or so, I became aware that she wasn't all that excited about the golem, but it gave her an excuse to ignore me. I was curious to know why she hated me so. She constantly glared at me, and, according to Allen the beansprout, seemed bitter whenever I was mentioned. I kind of wanted to ask her, so I did, "Hey, Layla, why do hate me?"

I was half expecting her to ignore me, and half expecting her to start asking Muffin if it heard anything. Instead, she glared at me and said, "I don't hate _you_. I hate people _like_ you." The answer was so interesting, I decided to dig further, "What don't you like about me? I'm a lovable, cuddly guy…" I winked at her. She scowled saying, "I hate your looks. I hate your personality. You're exactly like…" To my disappointment, she stopped herself, "Never mind." I didn't ask more right away. I decided to wait for the right moment.

We were almost there and it was dark. My feet were tired, but she seemed fine. If anything, her pace was quicker. I struggle to keep up and said, "W-wait! N-name… let's stop and eat, okay?" She turned and glared at me, "If we stop now, we'll have to camp out here." I nodded, "I'm perfectly fine with that. After all, we've still got five days before the ship leaves, right?" She grumbled something in agreement and left to find some fire wood. When she got back, we got a fire started and we ate some cookies and other dry snacks she brought, and washed it down with some water. We both lied down on opposite ends of the fire to rest. I couldn't sleep, and from the looks of it, neither could she, so I decided to continue the conversation that was dropped earlier.

"Guys like me… do you know any?" I decided to ask her. She didn't respond for a moment, "I knew one. But that one was enough for me to hate anyone like that." I frowned. Was it hate, or fear? I had to be careful now. I worried if I knew too much, I would grow attached to her, and I couldn't let that happen. I'm already in love with her body… and her giggle, and her eyes that seem to pierce right through me. I decided to only ask a few more questions and leave it at that. "What did… he do?" Her back was turned so I couldn't see her face, and when she spoke, it was shaky. I doubt she was crying though, for she was stronger than many people I know. "Raped and killed my sister. He also killed my mother. And I think he may have something to do with my father's death." I was horrified, and decided to leave it at that and went quiet for the rest of the night.

~Layla's POV~

Even if he was quiet, though, I decided to continue, "That's why I can smile, though. In front of you, whom I am afraid of, I smile because I've shed too many tears. A smile is the scariest thing to your enemy. It shows them that you don't fear." I looked at the sky, listening to Lavi's steady breathing as he slept. "That is why I will smile in front of you."

Author's note: Muffin's name changed a lot. From Cuddles, to Poochykins, to Snuffy, to God knows what other fluffy names. If you don't like the name 'Muffin' though, feel free to change it in your head… Hope you enjoyed, and if you have any feedback, I'd appreciated it if you give it to me by writing a little review. Thank-you!


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: I'll be updating earlier now due to school starting… Well, now Lavi knows something, and isn't clueless to why Layla hates him. Anyway, here is the "calm before storm" moment happening now. Just going to say this plot has changed so much. It was originally supposed to be the same characters, but in a school setting… and then it evolved into this. Thanks for the reviews, guys!

Chapter 5: Sympathy

I wake up, and Lavi is sitting beside me, watching me intently. The fire that was burning so fiercely yesterday was no longer there. I sit up and stretch, and the red head hands me a pastry, which I take and eat quickly. I stand up, and so does he; Muffin circles around me. I had a crumb on the corner of my lip, but I didn't notice. As I turned to start walking, Lavi holds my chin and wipes of the crumb with his thumb, "Silly goose." He says laughter in his voice. I slap his face and run ahead, blushing madly, screaming, "Pervert!"

After 10 minutes of my running, I arrived at the port town. Lavi was not too far behind, and once he caught up to me, I turned around and point my index finger at his chest, "_One_, don't ever do that again, and _two_ don't say a word about my past to anyone." Lavi looked at me, sighed and nodded before pointing a finger at _my_ chest, "You shouldn't run off on your own like that. Remember our mission is gets more dangerous, the closer we get to Germany." I gulped, remembering the mission ahead of me. Lavi reassuringly put his hand on my shoulder, but immediately withdrew it, "Sorry. I'll go ahead and find Bookman. Meet us in the middle of the village at 1. Do not get into any trouble." He then left me alone.

I walked around the town, humming that lullaby I could never stop thinking of. There were lyrics to it, but I didn't like singing them out loud in public. I scanned the village for patches of grass, where daisies would grow. Finding one, I picked a daisy and kept walking. I loved flowers, my favorite being bright red roses, despite the fact that I wasn't too fond of the colour red. The beginning of the lullaby I hummed, as I put the daisy in my hair, involved a red rose. I checked your watch. I still had 2 hours of exploring the city and decided to start by doing a little window shopping.

I looked through the glass, observing ridiculously high-priced articles of clothing. None of them really caught my eye. I passed jewelers, and looked at all the silver and gold bracelets, and the multi coloured precious stones. I really looked at the rubies and emeralds and my mind went to Lavi for a minute… then I shook my head and moved on. I passed a dress shop, and saw one I kind of liked. It was very… open, you could say, but it was very simple and light. As I observed the merchandise, people often whispered at me while pointing and avoided you. It's not like I cared; the less people who get near me, the better. That way, they won't be in danger, should one of them be an Akuma.

It was a quarter to one, and I decided to walk towards the town's center. On my way, I passed a curly haired man, who was smoking a cigarette. He was casually dressed, with a little stubble on his chin and thick glasses, so I couldn't see his eyes. I made a mental note to avoid this strange character as I went the long way to get to the center of the town.

I was there, five minutes early, and I spotted a small yet old man, with dark circles around his eyes. Behind him stood Lavi who introduced, "This is the Old Panda, Bookman." He grinned and Bookman jumped up and kicked him in the face. I giggled at this and said, "Nice to meet you, Mister Bookman. I'm Layla." The old man nodded, "I know who you are. My young apprentice wouldn't stop talking about you. And no need to call me Mister. Just Bookman is fine."

Lavi, Bookman, and I were staying at an inn not far from the water. I was in a separate room from the two men, who shared their room. I had offered to share a room with Lavi so that the old man could be alone, but after Bookman declined once, I didn't dare argue again. I was secretly glad to be away from Lavi as I unpacked a few items from my bag. The daisy I had in my hair had fallen out in the streets, but I didn't mind. Muffin was on my head as I took out some spare clothes and toiletries. After setting everything up to my satisfaction, I left my room and knocked on my comrades' room.

Lavi opened for me and smiled, "Missed me?" I ignored him and asked Bookman, "May I go out for a bit?" The experienced man looked at me, "You do not need to ask me for permission for everything. Go ahead, although I suggest you take this idiot with you. You ever know, something might come up." I nodded gratefully and left, Lavi following me. "Why're you coming with me?" Lavi smirked, "The old panda said so." I sighed, "Doesn't mean I agree." But I accepted his company anyways. I did a lot more window shopping while he looked around for anyone suspicious and checked out every passing young woman.

After a while I sat down on a patch of grass by the sea, admiring its vastness. Lavi sat down beside me and said, "Did you see that blonde over there? She had really nice-," I smacked his face before he could finish, "Pervert." There were people watching us two, giggling and pointing. I realize we must've look like some lovey-dovey couple or something, and scooted away from him. He chuckled at me, "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you all right? I'm not that guy." I was still weary of him, "You're just like him." Lavi sighed, bit his lip for a moment, and then opened his mouth and began talking. Little did I know it, but his words actually moved me, like nothing else has before.

Lavi's POV:

I decided to tell her something, which maybe I shouldn't have, but I did anyways. I think that's called being an idiot.

Anyways, Layla was being really cruel, almost as if she didn't notice my feelings. Although, when she smacked me, I had a feeling it was out of jealousy… Ahem, putting that aside, I explained to her the worst part of being a Bookman.

"I can't have friends, you know. As a Bookman, I'm not allowed to grow attached to anyone. I can't do anything, but sit there and watch. It's all part of the job. The way you and Allen get along… it makes me really jealous. You know, when you first met me and kept your distance, I thought you knew that and tried to make my job easier. But yesterday, when we were traveling… you giggled for the first time ever. I still can't decide what you are doing to me. You're cruelty to me makes things easier and yet…" I trailed off, unable to finish, "And yet it makes things harder too."

Layla's POV:

My eyes widened. The words which he spoke hitting me deeply. I put a hand on my chest, where my heart was. I looked at him, feeling stupid and dense for not noticing earlier. I thought I was strong; I didn't care what people thought of me, and kept smiling, moving away from my past. But Lavi couldn't move away like I could. He had to go through every day without growing attached to someone. I didn't know what to do, and I felt horrible. So in the end, I did something I've always felt like doing, I hugged him tenderly.

He wasn't expecting it, but he hugged me back. I then looked at him, singing oh so softly,

"Red Rose, how beautiful you are,

Gallantly bloom forever more.

Pale rose, may you never wither,

I will commit myself to you,

If the sky, should shower down on you,

I will be your shelter through the pain,"

I sang the first verse (and a little of the second verse) of my lullaby, with Lavi in my arms, and I whispered in his ear, "I promise, to make up for my horrible behavior, I will do anything I can for you." Lavi then chuckled and winked, "Anything, huh?" I pushed him away, "Anything within reason!" I was blushing and then I said, "I-It's not at a-all because I like y-you or anything. I just d-don't want to be in y-your debt." I stuttered a little, my eyes glaring at him. He laughed, "Sure that works." And we walked back together, quietly, in the dark light of the night.

Author's note: I don't own the song lyrics! They are from One Day, the Black Rock Shooter OVA OST. I suggest you give it a listen… very touching song! This was a medium-long chapter. Climax of the story coming soon! Good luck, dear Layla~


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: Sorry for the OOC-ness of the last chapter… and sorry for any OOC-ness at all… Ahem, please enjoy this new installment.

Chapter 6: Dead End

During the next 4 days, Lavi and I had been all over town, occasionally bumping into Akuma. Nothing bad really happened. I became accustomed to Lavi's company, as he became to mine.

Finally, the boat was ready to leave, and I nervously boarded with my two companions. I would be in Germany in about 12 hours, approximately. It was a 6 hour ride on the ferry, and then a slightly shorter train ride. I didn't like transportation too much, as it was costly and made me sick, but I bore with it. You walked outside the large ship and looked into the distance. Families and friends waved to their loved ones on land, and I smiled sadly at the churning blue water.

Lavi joined me as I watched the bright eye of the sun shimmer in the dark waves. He was intently staring at my face, and didn't stop until I pushed him away. "W-what're you doing?" He smiled, "Just admiring the scenery." I grumbled, "What scenery? It's blank. All blue." The air out in the sea smelled of salt water and fish and I wrinkled your nose. The little breeze around me turning into a vigorous wind, and I didn't like it. Lavi noticed my shivering and moved his arm, as if to wrap them around me, when I snapped, "D-don't even think about it!" and stormed off inside. I wondered if I could last the next 4 hours in the interior without getting sick.

The minute I was in a room without fresh air, my stomach turned. I felt nauseous and very dizzy. I leaned against a wall for support. The curly haired man you saw at the town walked over to me, and I looked up at him, still unable to see his eyes due to his glasses. "Need a hand, miss?" I straightened up, "No, thank-you. I am fine." He shrugged, smiling, "If you say so…" He walked passed me, breathing a puff of smoke. I coughed and kept walking.

I was aimlessly stumbling around the ship, just trying to regain my bearings, when someone caught a hold of my wrist. I looked up to see who it was, but all I remember was blacking out. I woke up, a couple of hours later and saw fierce looking men. I doubt that they were Akuma, but they certainly weren't friendly. I tried to reach for my whip, but my wrists were tied. I also realized I was almost naked, having nothing but my undergarments on. The thugs grinned evilly at me, "Good you're awake…" and came closer to me, their hungry eyes inspecting every inch of your body.

They were 5 of them and one of me, but that didn't scare me too much at all. I had a little bit of hand-to-hand combat expertise; living 11 years, homeless and alone certainly taught me how to survive and get rid of men like these. I slammed my head into the stomach of the first one who reached for me and propelled myself up, my tied-up feet hitting the second one right in the chest. The next one aimed to punch me but I avoided it, and slammed into another one, whom I wacked in the face with my fists. Two more left. I hopped on one of their feet and they fell over from my weight. For the last one, who was backing up against the wall, I put my most dangerous expression, and whispered, "Boo!" He fainted and I laughed.

Lavi's POV:

Akuma means demon in Japanese.

And I was right now, starring at a half-naked demon. She was pretty sexy, to the point where I wouldn't mind her staying half naked for the rest of our trip, even if I had meant to be the one to barge in and save her, but when I decided to emerge; she turned into a demon.

She used her teeth to escape from the ropes that bonded her hands and untied the ones keeping her feet together. She found her close and possessions on the floor and she put pulled her clothes on and slung her bag back on her back. The men, who had still been conscious after being beaten, had run away. She shakily got up, her face turning from white to green. She grinned in my direction, "Learn from this. They chose the wrong girl to mess with." She fell forward and I laughed, "Sorry. It's no fun for me to _not_ try and mess with you."

I picked her up, bridal style, and brought her outside. The minute the fresh air hit her, she sprung up and breathed deeply, but not before making sure to smack me in the face before that happened. I rubbed my cheek, and she jumped around. I chuckled, watching her act all childish, reminded me of just how strong she is, not just physically, but mentally too. She still is afraid of me; I can see it, even if she tries to hide it. When she looks at me from a distance, she freezes. I know that human there are three human reactions to fear; Flight, Fight or Freeze. She froze, before fleeing and I have to catch her to her without running, or it scares her more. Her golem, Muffin, though, always seems to help calm her down somehow.

Speaking of which, Muffin was flying around [Name], as she danced outside. There was no one else out here, as it was extremely cold, so she didn't seem to worry. Although, when she turned around and saw me, she stopped and just sat down, facing the water deep water, with a bottom so deep, unreachable; distant.

And I as sat by her side, I felt the same, even if we seemed close; we were, in reality, oh so far.

**POV Switch, back to Layla and Time Skip to the ship's arrival. **

I eagerly skipped onto dry land, humming a happy melody. It was another lullaby I knew, but I had forgotten the lyrics to it. All I knew was the catchy and cheery melody, which I loved and thought was very appropriate. Bookman cleared his throat, watching me bounce around with excitement and said, "Remember the mission ahead of us, I beg of you, Layla, to remain serious. One idiot it enough," He eyed Lavi for a moment, before turning his attention back to me, "And we still have a train ride to go on."

My heart sunk as I remembered the task I had to do. And I still had to go on yet _another_ form of transportation. And I couldn't be outside, like I could on the boat. I groaned as my enthusiasm left me.

I was now sitting on a bench in the station, beside Bookman, who was beside Lavi. I noticed he was eyeing me for a while but I pretended not to notice. He then switched his gaze to his apprentice, who was scanning the area for suspicious characters, or cute young ladies. I then realized I should be doing the same, minus checking out other women, and my eyes inspected my surroundings, lingering on three people. One was an old man, who seemed lonely. The other one was a girl, around fourteen or maybe fifteen, without any parents or other adults around, and the last one was a shady looking man, wearing a large coat and a hat, covering his eyes.

All of these suspects seemed like they might turn into an Akuma at any moment. I noticed them, and they noticed you. I heard a whistle and a _whoosh_, as the train arrived. I took a deep breath, and entered the train, followed by both the young and old Bookman. I showed my tickets to a guard, who directed me to our compartment. I sunk into a seat, and it only took me a few moments to notice my exhaustion and drowsiness as I went to sleep.

A shrill scream pierced the air, I lazily opened my eyes, feeling groggy and Lavi shook me awake. "There is a Noah on board, Layla, and get up!" My eyes flew open in horror. Dead bodies and blood littered the floor. The train wasn't moving. The screams were dying down. I took out your whip, "Innocence, Activate!" Akuma surrounded me, and they weren't just level-1s. "Lavi, go on ahead, let me deal with these guys." He nodded and left. I noticed Bookman wasn't there, but I didn't worry about that.

The Akuma gave me a hungry stare, "Fufufu… an Exorcist…" One of them snickered. Another one licked its lips, "Kesesese… If we kill her, we will please the Master…" I took a look at all four of them. One bore the shape of a lion, another, this one was the one to identify me as an Exorcist, was some kind of bird of prey, the third one reminded me of a wolf, and the last one, the one who spoke of pleasing their 'Master', was a bear. I knew that I shouldn't hold back on these guys, and decided to try something a little different.

"Innocence level 2, release," I grinned as my whip glowed for a moment. Hevlaska had said my synchronization rate with your Innocence was just over 80%, something quite surprising, as I held an Equipment Type Innocence. I knew, though, that I was extremely close to this jacket, or now this whip, as it was my sole reminder of my past life and happiness.

The Akuma got ready to attack, but my grin did not falter, "First skill; Lion tamer." I whipped the air, creating a cracking noise. This noise broke the Akumas' ear drums. They glared at me in surprised and yelled. I merely said, "Second skill; Snake Charmer." My whip struck forward at the closest Akuma; the bird one; and the hideous creature shrieked in pain before drying. While the others' eyes' widened at their fallen comrade's empty space, I decided to finish them all off at once, "Anaconda charmer." My whip thickened and extended, and wrapped itself around the Akuma, "I've said before, I'll say it again, even if you don't hear me. You chose the wrong girl to mess with." And my whip tightened, suffocating them all.

Grinning in satisfaction, I left in the direction Lavi was. He and Bookman fought more and more Akuma. I growled, and deactivated my Innocence's second stage release, for it was taking up a lot of my energy and I was running low on stamina. I searched for their leader, and my eyes stopped on the girl I saw earlier at the station. That girl now had dark bluish grey skin, and I knew she was a Noah.

I aimed your whip directly at her and all the Akuma defended her, and I hit a few of them instead. I heard Lavi heave a sigh of relief to seeing me here and saw Bookman nod gratefully. I looked at my enemies and then turned to my comrades, "Go back to the Order and get help. I'll hold them off, and will do my best to not let them escape." Lavi immediately wanted to refuse, but Bookman told him something and he regretfully left me there, alone, standing in front of those horrible, life-stealing monsters.

Lavi's POV:

I didn't want to leave her, but Bookman told me that we were the ones to watch. We were the observers, the ones who stood on the sidelines and watched history unfold, although I could tell he wanted to stay and help her. Her eyes were fierce and burning with determination, as she told us to leave. Muffin was flying around, frustrated to not be able to do anything. She noticed I was hesitant and told me, "If I can live through this, I won't be scared by anything anymore. Even scary red-heads like you." Once she finished her sentence, she leaped into the midst of countless Akuma, and her last words still lingered in the air. Bookman took my hand and I tore my eyes away from the beautiful, strong, brave girl. As I fled, it was as if I was leaving my heart behind.

Author's note: I'm sorry if the Innocence level 2 power thing is a little weird… I'm a boring person with no originality… I mean, giving her powers with animals is so… typical. But hopefully the rest of the chapter was okay ^_^


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: I do not own anything other than the story. The lyrics used at the beginning are from 'Sick Puppies' a song called 'Monsters'. Warning, if you cry easily, it is possible that this chapter brings you to tears.

Chapter 7: Let me shelter you from this pain.

A horribly familiar melody rang through my ears. I knew this song. I heard it when I was 11. I passed by a theatre, showing a horrible tragedy. I gulped. Where was I? The last thing I remembered was the smirking face of the seemingly young Noah girl, as I collapsed from exhaustion. Most of her Akuma had been defeated. Lavi will come with help. I smiled, but that didn't really answer your question.

_Your skin is crawling on you, your shadow's on the ground_

_And now the room is spinning, oh god, what was that sound?_

_The fear is paralyzing, trapped here inside yourself,_

_Your will to live is dying, is dying,_

_**You're dying. **_

Wait a moment. Those lyrics weren't exactly the same from what I've heard. I checked your surroundings. "Wait a minute!" I've been here before. There was no sign of the Noah. I passed the eerily familiar roads which lead up to a small village off the side of London.

The village was just the same as it was when I left it. Everything seemingly fine expect for that one house that had been destroyed. There was no one, and I found that very strange. I checked my old home, and out of the rubble, Lavi comes out. He gives me his signature grin. I reach forward to touch him, "L-Lavi? Is that really you?" He nodded and erupted into an Akuma; the very same one that had hurt my family. My eyes widened, "Lavi?" I squeaked. The Akuma ignored me. Suddenly, the scene changed, everything around me going blurry.

The villagers were now in the scene and your house was intact. The Akuma was gone, but I was still afraid. I saw my mother and sister through the window of my home. I walked inside, frowning. My mother hugged me, "Ah, Layla Welcome home." My mother's voice changed halfway through and became an Akuma, followed by my sister. The rest of the villagers surrounded me, all of them saying 'Welcome Home, Layla', before turning into one. Even my father was there, and turned into one, then noticed my stepfather approaching.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Layla," He embraced me. I would have moved, but the Akuma were circling me, allowing me no means of escape. He stroked my hair, "It's nice to see you have returned. We missed you, did you miss us?" He didn't let go of me and I froze. My mind was crumbling into little pieces, and suddenly, he let go. I fell to the floor, face first. He stood over me, with Lavi right by him.

When the men spoke, they did so in union, "Layla, why don't you go play outside? I'll take care of your sister." Another thing they said, "Did you see that pretty girl, Layla? Just kidding, you're still prettier." And then, it shattered.

~Lavi's POV~

I held on to her, and wouldn't let her go. The Exorcists I got a hold of, namely Lenalee, Allen and Yu, teamed up. I was wondering how long it would take me to search for her, but thankfully Muffin showed itself to me, and I saw Road capture Layla in a box. I knew that Noah's trick. She was going to break Layla's mind and use her body. Like I'd ever let that happen.

Looking at her face, I noticed her eyes were wide open and glazed in shock and in pain. I found her whip on the ground somewhere and handed it to her. Hopefully, it would make her feel safer, but she didn't look safe at all. Lenalee and Allen stood by her, calling her name. Yu just stood there. I tried to keep calm, but instead, I was panicking. This can't be happening… please, let this be nothing but an awful nightmare.

~Layla's POV~

I can hear them. The voices of my friends calling me; and I wanted to respond. My mouth refused to move. I was frozen with fear. I wanted to let everything go; to just stop breathing, to stop living.

_If the sky, should carry hard on you_

_Let me be, your shelter through the pain_

_One day, as time goes by, a day to crumble will pass on by_

_Always, I'll be by your side, forever and ever, right by your side. _

I blinked away the pain. My friends were there to carry some of it with me. Lenalee smiled as I looked at her. Allen was holding my hand, laughing in relief. I realized I was against something warm. I looked up to see Lavi's green eyes, filled with kindness, meet mine. His soft hand gently brought my chin up as he kissed me lightly. I closed my eyes, accepting the kiss and lost consciousness.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's note: Just like to say, there's going to be a lot of POV switching in this chapter.

Chapter 8: Recovery

~Lavi's POV~

I was standing outside the emergency medical treatment room, with Lenalee and Allen. They were laughing as I boasted, "It's all thanks to me, her prince charming that she woke up!" Lenalee rolled her eyes at me, and Allen said, "Sure it is, Lavi. I'm sure it is." I waved my hands in their faces, "Didn't you guys see? I kissed her and she was alive, like in every fairy tale." It took me a moment to realize this. Wait a sec- I kissed her?

My two good friends pointed at my cheeks and Lenalee pointed a window nearby. I saw my reflection in the glass. I was… _blushing_? Allen started teasing me, but just then, I felt a really strong murderous intent coming from the medic room. I opened the door, and saw Yu and Layla glaring at each other. Layla had her whip out, and Yu was holding his katana. This couldn't be good.

~Layla's POV~

He called me a silly little girl and he was going to pay. Not only that, he kept blabbering about a kiss between Lavi and I. "I didn't think you'd actually end up falling for an idiot like him. But you two suit each other." He said smugly. I replied through clenched teeth, "What are you, jealous or something? And I certainly did _not_ fall for that silly boy!" Kanda looked at me and smirked, "Me, jealous? You wish. And your blush is telling me otherwise." That was it. I took out my whip, which I named Asteria, after the Titaness of falling stars.

He grabbed the hilt of his sword, "You did agree to have a match when you got back." I nodded, "And I am definitely willing to-," My gaze went to the doorway, sensing movement. Lavi, Lenalee and Allen had come in, "Go back to resting like you should! The both of you are injured pretty badly, and you won't recover." Lenalee gave us both a stern glare and the both of us lied back down, grumbling. Allen laughed and Lavi walked over and sat in a chair between the two of us. "I'll be here, so feel safe now," He says in a singing voice. I muttered to Muffin, who was on my pillow, "Because having a weird pervert watch over you counts as safe."

~Lavi's POV~

Yu was tired, so he fell asleep really quickly. Layla, on the other hand, was very stubborn and refused to shut an eye around me. It was a little awkward; after all I just kissed her in front of other people. I cleared my throat, "Ahem, was that… your first kiss?" She glared at me, with daggers and muffled, "Yeah." I nodded, "Sorry for stealing your first kiss, then." I grinned at her and she pulled the blanket above her head. Ouch.

"And… I need to apologize for something else," I took a deep breath. I wanted to apologize now before I could regret it. Regret was like carrying a giant book you will never read. I needed to say this now. "I'm sorry… for hesitating. If I had gone to get help immediately, you wouldn't be as badly injured. If I had stayed with you, I promise, this would have never happened. I understand if you don't want to forgive me," She stayed under her covers, although I could tell she shifted to that her face was buried in her pillow. She spoke quietly, her voice muffled, but I caught something like:

"You are the biggest idiot ever."

~Layla's POV~

"Excuse me?" Lavi asked once I mumbled your words. He got off of his chair and went on top of me, "I couldn't hear you. What did you just say?" I glared at him, using the covers to hide my blush, "You are the biggest idiot ever. I'm the one who should be apologizing." He stared at me, confused, "From what I can see you're the victim. The victim isn't the one who need to apologize." I sighed and told him, "Sorry for being afraid of you."

His eyes met mine and he whispered, "You had reason to. It's all right." I shook my head, "No… I treated you horribly. I'm really…" I noticed he was approaching, the distance between our lips closing rapidly, "Sorry…" I noticed his eyes. They were not like my step father's. They were eyes filled with kindness and a sweet heart, unlike the Lavi in my nightmares. But I wasn't ready to accept him just yet. As I got ready to push him away, I heard a cough from the bed beside me.

Kanda was giving me a smug smirk and I really wanted to kill him right then. "Oi, you two, go get another room. I'm not leaving this one." Lavi got off of me and I swore I saw a blush on his cheeks. It made him look very cute, but I'd never say so out loud. Instead, I told him, "I wasn't apologizing b-because I _like_ you or anything, pervert. I was just being nice."

~Lavi's POV~

Stupid Yu, wasn't he ever taught that romantic moments are never to be interrupted?

She fell asleep soon after and I was glad. She looked at peace when she was sleeping; I kind of wanted to touch her soft-looking skin, stroke her pink cheeks and kiss her. But then I remembered; a sleeping demon is still a demon. If I woke her up, she would most likely hurt me to the point where I could no longer mate, which wouldn't be good at all, since I wanted her to bear my children.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's note: I enjoyed writing this… kind of sad, as it's about to end. Enjoy the second-to-last chapter.

Chapter 9: Perverts and Stalkers

It's been two weeks since the incident with the Noah, and I was back on your feet; happy, healthy and full of energy, which was good because the Order was throwing a party to celebrate the defeat of over 1 million Akuma within the European branch.

I helped Lenalee decorate the Order. Komui and the science department spend their time contacting the Exorcists and Finders spread all over Europe. People often asked the Equipment time Exorcists for help for the décor: Kanda was cutting up paper into little pieces of confetti, Allen was carrying all the heavy stuff, and Lavi was hammering banners and ribbons to the wall. Even me, with my whip helped out. When a banner, placed high up, was crooked, I used your whip to bring it back down.

That night, I went to sleep without taking a bath, choosing the wake up early and taking one in the morning. When morning came, I stripped off my clothes, grabbed my towel and headed towards the baths.

Slipping into the water felt really nice. I stayed there for a few moments, relaxing for the first time since the party preparations began. I closed your eyes, happy to have a home, a place where I belonged.

Without warning, someone else slid into the bath. My arms immediately wrapped around my chest and I heard a familiar chuckle, "Relax. The water isn't that clear, and with all this steam, I can barely see you. But I'm still glad to be on time today." I saw the red head's grin as my eyes flung open. "Pervert…" I blushed and sunk deeper into the water. He stared at me for a moment and said, "You are always so cute. Don't ever change." I looked at him, a smile creeps up to my lips, "Same to you, although I wouldn't mind that perverted part of you to go."

The morning of the day of the party was busy and I was glad I was able to relax first. We didn't have all the Exorcists, the Generals refused to come, but we gathered many. Everyone was dressed up quite formally, and I borrowed one of Lenalee's dresses. It was short-sleeved and I grew cold. As I begun shivering, Lavi was taking off his coat and I glared, "Don't even try." I looked away to hide my blush, "You'll get cold." Lenalee giggled at me, "Layla, he's a man, he can handle it." I shook your head, but I was still freezing, so in the end, I ended up wearing his stupid jacket. I was enjoying the day, eating, talking, and playing games… Nothing could have been more fun.

During the afternoon, I heard a piano and everyone began dancing. Komui stole Lenalee before anyone else as much as thought of her. Krory politely asked Miranda, who accepted and they clumsily joined the siblings. I scanned the area. The only open man I saw as Kanda and I would never dance with him. I wondered where Lavi went, and I realized he wasn't here, and neither was Bookman. I left the party room in search of them.

"Lavi," I spotted him as he is about to leave with Bookman, "Where are you going?" He smirked, "Don't be so worried about me. You sound like a wife talking to her husband." He winked at me, "Not that I would mind you being my wife." Bookman hit his apprentice in the head, "We have something to do as Bookman. We will be back tomorrow." I nodded, understanding, but I still felt bad inside. I handed Lavi back his coat, before saying, "Hey, come back safe o-okay? Not just for my sake! But for everyone else's." He nodded and then hugged me tightly.

Under normal circumstances, I would've pushed him away and ran as fast as I could in the opposite direction. But now, I accepted his hug, whispering, "I… I think… I lo-," He pulled back to look at my face, "Nah, you don't think it. You know you love me. And…" He grabbed my hand, "I love you to, Layla." He slowly let go and went to Bookman, calling out, "I'll be back soon!"

~Lavi's POV~

If she had told me earlier, we could've dance together. But she waited. Oh well, at least I got it out of her.

Bookman was glaring at me, and I knew why. I waited for this 'Don't get attached to anybody,' lecture, but he never spoke, at least not for a really long while. When he did, his tone was a lot softer than I thought it would be, "You chose a strong girl, but her mind is still fragile." I looked at him, "What?" His eyes shot daggers, "You heard me." I stared in disbelief at my mentor.

"Old panda, are you okay?" I braced myself as he kicked my head, "Of course I am!" I stopped walking a looked at him, "Then why aren't you lecturing me about the whole attachment thing?" He rolled his eyes, "It's not like you would listen to me if I said it. And if she bears your child, we will have a new generation of Bookman. As long as she becomes your wife, I'm fine with it."

He may be an old panda, but he was also the best master I could ever ask for.

~Layla's POV~

As I made my way back to the party room, a heard a movement from the corner, and instinctively raised my whip. "Come on out, I know you're there!" I shouted. Yu Kanda came out, "I was right. You did fall for him." I muttered, "Stalker." He clenched his teeth, his right eye twitched, "What was that, silly girl?" I struck my whip in the air, making a loud noise, "You heard me, Mister Grumpy pants." He raised his sword and then Lenalee appeared, seemingly out of nowhere in between the two of us.

"_Stop_," She sighed, "My goodness you two…! Get back in here. Everyone is looking for you guys. Come and dance." She lead us back to the room, where I dance with an even fouler Kanda that usual, but I still had fun.

Once the dance had ended, when the two of us were parting ways, I whispered to the Japanese man, "Meet me outside, tomorrow at 2 in the afternoon. We'll have our match then." He smirked, "It's a deal."

Of course, the match ended with a tie, when we were, once again, interrupted by Lenalee. Lavi had come back as we were heading back inside, grumbling because I couldn't finish my fight. The minute he saw me, he ran up to me, picked me up, bridal style and walked me inside. I don't even know where he took me. I guess that's a story for another time.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's note: My last chapter, or a first, I guess, as it's an epilogue. Hope you guys enjoyed the series!

Epilogue: Commitment

I was sitting in a field of flower, three years later. Lavi and I had been lovers for quite a while, and I was glad to have him with you.

In that field, that day, daisies bloomed all around us. There were also cornflowers, bluebells, buttercups, and rockroses.

Lavi was laying down on my lap, his eyes closed as I sung in my sweet, soft voice;

_Red rose, how beautiful you are_

_Gallantly, bloom for ever more_

_Pale rose, may you never wither,_

_I will commit myself to you_

_If the sky should shower down on you,_

_I will be your shelter through the rain_

_If the sky should carry hard on you_

_Let me be your shelter through the pain_

_One day, as time goes by_

_A day to crumble will pass you by_

_Always, I'll be by your side_

_Forever and ever, right by your side_

_So sleep tight and shine bright,_

I smiled at his gentle, sleeping face. He had brought me here today to relax for a bit and I was certainly enjoying it. During these 3 years, I had been on even more dangerous and risky missions. My schedule was busy, and moments like these could barely fit in my timetable.

While I was looking down at him, his hand touched my cheek and brought my lips to his. I kissed him back, gently stroking his hair. He momentarily broke the kiss, and whispered, "So… will you marry me?" I muttered, "You're still the biggest idiot ever. You don't even have to ask." And I kissed him once again.

If only the rest of my life had been as sweet as his lips.

Author's note: Welp. This is the end, folks. I thought I might as well give you some future projects I may be starting sooner or later:

Canada/Mathew Snaps (Hetalia)

Elfen Lied Lucy/Nyu/Kaede/ Mirai Nikki Yuno Gasai crossover

Maybe: Reborn X OC/Reader


End file.
